Name: Instant Pot Quinoa Vegetable Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons Olive oil; 1 medium or ¾ cup Onion (chopped); 1 stalk or ⅓ cup Celery (chopped); 1 medium or ½ cup Carrots (chopped); 3 cloves Garlic (minced); ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder; 1 teaspoon Coriander powder; 1 teaspoon Roasted cumin powder; 1 teaspoon Paprika; 1 medium or ½ cup Potatoes (peeled and cubed); ½ cup Sweet corn kernels; ½ cup Green peas; ½ cup Capsicum (Green bell pepper) (chopped); 1 Tomato (chopped); ½ cup Quinoa (rinsed); Salt & pepper (to taste); 3 cups Vegetable broth; 2 tablespoons Parsley (or Cilantro, chopped for garnishing)

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This Indian-inspired quinoa vegetable soup is one of my favorites! This hearty soup is packed with nutritious ingredients and bright fresh flavors. A healthy soup made in instant pot under 30 minutes (from prep to finish).

Close up of instant pot quinoa vegetable soup served in a bowl, garnished with parsley.

❤️ You’ll Love This Quinoa Vegetable Soup

This instant pot quinoa vegetable soup makes a filling, vegetarian (vegan too) meal. This can be your lunch or dinner.

It is Indian-inspired, but not spicy at all. It has the perfect balance of all the spices.

This quinoa soup is highly customizable when it comes to the veggies. Add whatever you like, whatever you have on hand or whatever is in the season.

It is quick and easy to make, just 30 minutes and delicious soup is ready.

Make a big batch and freeze the leftover for later busy days.

🧾 Ingredients & Substitute Options:

Here is the pic of the ingredients required to make this delicious, flavorful Instant pot quinoa vegetable soup. All of them easily available, the exact amount is mentioned in the recipe card below.

Ingredients used in quinoa vegetable soup includes quinoa, different vegetables, oil, salt, pepper, spices, stock and parsley.

Quinoa: I have used white quinoa, but you can use any type of black, red, or tri-colored. Use whatever you have in your pantry.
Veggies:
- Onion, celery and garlic make the flavor base for the soup. You should not skip those.
- I have used Yukon gold potatoes here as this is what I had in my pantry available. You can use red potato or other similar ones like sweet potato, pumpkin, winter squash. Use what you have in season.
- I have used fresh tomatoes, you can use canned tomatoes.
- I have used frozen peas and frozen corn. While I have used fresh carrots and bell peppers. To shorten the prep time and for convenience, many time I use frozen mixed vegetable pack which contains peas, carrot, corn and beans.
Vegetable stock: Instead of buying veggie stock packs, I prefer to use ‘Better than bouillon vegetable base’. I always keep a jar of it in the refrigerator. You just have to mix it up in hot water and your vegetable stock is ready.
Turmeric powder: It gives a nice color to the soup. Plus, it has many powerful medicinal properties. As being Indian, I use it every day in my recipes.
Roasted cumin powder & Coriander powder: Easily available in Indian grocery stores or sometimes in American grocery stores as well.
Paprika: I recommend adding paprika instead of red chili powder (the one most commonly used in Indian cooking). It gives you a mild taste vs spicy, hot.
Parsley: This time I have added parsley as garnishing. But you can add cilantro as well.

👩‍🍳 How To Make Instant Pot Quinoa Vegetable Soup?

Prep: Take the quinoa in a colander and rinse under running cold water by rubbing the quinoa slightly. Let the excess water drain out. Also, chop up the veggies and keep them ready.

1) Turn the instant pot on with saute mode. Add oil and once the oil is hot, add onion, celery, carrot and garlic.

2) Mix and saute for 3 minutes (or until onion starts to soften and there is no more raw smell of garlic).

3) Now add turmeric powder, coriander powder, roasted cumin powder and paprika.

4) Mix everything well.

Collage of 4 steps showing cooking onion, celery, carrot, adding and mixing spices.

5) Now add the rest of the veggies (potato, peas, corn, bell pepper, tomatoes).

6) Add rinsed quinoa, salt and pepper.

7) Add vegetable stock.

8) Cover the instant pot with a lid. Cancel the saute mode and pressure cook on manual (High pressure) for 3 minutes. As soon as the timer stops do the QPR (quick pressure release) by pressing the valve (or positioning to venting). Once the pin drops, open the lid and garnish with chopped fresh herb parsley or cilantro.

Collage of 4 steps showing adding veggies, quinoa, vegetable stock, and cooked soup.

💭 Expert Tips

This soup is easily adapted to seasons like in summer use zucchini or yellow squash, in winters use winter squash, pumpkins, otherwise use root veggies like sweet potato or potato. Other vegetable substitutions are already mentioned above in the ingredients section.
You can add a handful of greens like spinach, kale, collard greens. If so, you add them once pressure cooked and simmer for a few minutes according to what greens you are adding.
To make it protein-rich, you can add cooked beans like chickpeas, kidney beans, great northern beans, black beans, pinto beans, cannellini beans, etc. Even though they are cooked, add them along with quinoa and pressure cook so they absorb the flavors.

🥣 Storage Instructions

In the refrigerator, this soup keeps well for about 4 days. Store in an airtight container.
In the freezer, it stays good for up to 3 months. Store in individual serving portions in freezer-safe containers. Thaw and reheat as required.

quinoa vegetable soup in instant pot ready to take a ladleful for serving.

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